hi all, i attended a track event over the weekend. once i got to the track and started swapping DD wheels/tires for the track set, i had a bit of hard time putting aluminum centering rings on due to some rust. i didn't have much time and simply forced them on. had a blast at the track. i decided to drive home on the track wheel/tire set as it was dry and warm, was getting a bit late plus the brakes were way too hot to try to swap track pads for the street ones.
this morning, while attempting to put OEM DD wheels on, i could not remove the centering rings. i tired WD-40, few hammer whacks, tried to pry it with a screw driver, nothing helps. Now i am stuck driving track tires, which is not very advisable. anybody had similar issues? any and all advise on removing the rings is much appreciated - i really don't want to be caught out in the rain with nearly bald Azentis 615. thx a lot

 

So the aluminum centering ring is stuck on the wheel hub of the car? If you've already tried PB Blaster and a lot of braun, I would start looking at adding heat directly on the outside of the ring with a torch and then try popping it off. The heat should expand the aluminum enough to break loose of the hub. You'll need to be careful to not overheat and warp the rings, especially since they're aluminum.

After you get them off I would take a wire brush mounted on a drill and get all the rust off. It definitely has a tendency to build up there. After that, a very fine layer of anti-seize to prevent the problem from occurring again.

 

Liquid Soap, or rub a bar of hard soap on it hit the screw driver with the hammer, tapping from behind, as a last resort, break out the dremel and cut the rings, I would not dry and heat them up, you have already put flamable stuff on there. Just my opinion

 

hey, i tried that (except the liquid soap part) with WD-40. the problem is i cant get the screw driver in between the centering ring and the wheel hub - the ring is flush against the wheel hub. of course i can try hammer the screwdriver in there (and damage the rings) and then pry it loose but was try to avoid that for now...

 

thx man, i might try that. now i need to buy a torch... :(

i knew i was asking for it when i forced the rings on. i was up against the clock and didnt have the time to clean the rust off the wheel hub :(

 

I would order a new set of centering rings just to be safe. You're more than likely going to damage them especially if they are perfectly flush with the face of the hub.

Also, instead of paying up for a torch & acetylene/oxygen tank I would poke around town looking for a local garage that has one. 10 minutes of labor certainly would be cheaper than buying new!

 

Hit it with some PB Blaster and give it some time. Hopefully that will take care of it. Do you have a large pair of pliers or something you could grab them with? I'm just worried you might damage the aluminum since it's kind of soft. Why not just get some plastic centering rings?

 

Most hardware stores should sell MAPP gas. Here is the difference between Mapp gas and propane:

Mapp Gas
Mapp gas is made from combining liquefied petroleum and Methylacetylene-Propadine. It can be used for heating, brazing, metalizing, soldering, flame hardening and cutting. Mapp gas produces a flame temperature of 5301° F (2927° C) and 2405 Btus. Making it a good choice when a hotter flame is neded for example breaking a rust bond on a pipe or a large plumbing repair that is at leat 2”.
Propane
Propane is made from refining crude petroleum and natural gas. It does not burn as hot as mapp gas making it a better choice for1/2” and 3/4” plumbing. Propane is often the choice for the homeowner or do-it-yourselfer because it works well for small jobs and is significantly cheaper than map gas.



Invest in the torch head that lights when you push the trigger. You will be surprised how much you use it.

 

I've also similar issues with corrosion on the center hub on my MCS where it locates to the wheel. To prevent this from happening again in the future, once you get rings off, clean up the rust, make sure the rings will go on easily then coat the hub where it locates to the wheel w/ a thin layer of Never-Seize. I've done this on a few cars with great success. Just did this last weekend on my nieces Tiburon GT. I was rotating her tires and found the RF stuck to the hub.

 

I've occasionally had a stuck centering ring on my right rear axle (and only on that one), I've always been able to get a screwdriver behind it and lever it off. This is even after I've greased the axle as recommended.

 

ok, will try PB Blaster even though WD-40 didnt work. is PB Blaster that much better?
you don't want to use plastic rings on track wheels - the heat generated by braking will melt them. i use plastic ones for snow wheels though...

 

will do, thx

 

Metal gasket scraper, a few hammer taps to the handle of the scraper and you'll be behind it in no time. They aren't seized, just stubborn.